Press Play Wednesday!

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Wednesday is here, which means it's time for another fantastic video. This week I'm proud to present one of my all-time favorites. In 1976 a man named Kenny Powers attempted to jump a rocket-powered Lincoln Continental over a one-mile-wide section of the St. Lawrence river. The results were, not surprisingly, exactly what you expect.

I've been watching this for years without any context (aside from what's in the video), and managed to find a bit of backstory while "researching" for this post. It turns out the stunt was initially planned by Canadian daredevil Ken Carter. After five years, $1 million and two canceled attempts, Carter's financial backers crossed him. They hired Kenny Powers, a stuntman, to attempt the jump. He did, and, well, you'll see the aftermath.